Go to sleep, dammit!
by i Mel-chan i
Summary: Temari is a loving sister that really wants what's best for her brothers. Gaara just doesn't understand that she's doing it for his own good.


Authoress' Notes: Another crack fic, written solely for getting out of writting a term paper. Characters might seem OOC and as usual standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

"Hey, little brother, feeling drowsy?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"You know, you don't look too good," Kankurou observed. The dark black rings around Gaara's eyes had gotten thicker and darker that before, while his once light green eyes blemished into a dark forest green, surrounding by thin red blood lines. His face was a bit more pale than usual, and his hand began to tremor from time to time. Clearly, the kid was sleep deprived.

"I'm fine," Gaara responded taking another sip of coffee and turning his attention on the document he was currently reading.

"You've been drinking coffee all day."

"So?"

"So? I'm surprised you're not jumping off the walls with all that caffeine!"

The red head glared at him, and in an instant Kankurou shut his trap and went back to his drawings.

Having lived with insomnia for the better part of his life, Gaara still could not comprehend sleep. Of course, he could see people tended to be sluggish and slow without sleep, however Gaara would still not be the person to lie in bed when other important things could be done. He had a village to run, after all! Imagine what could be done in the eight hours that he would spend sleeping!

After the whole Akatsuki incident, Gaara made it absolutely clear that even though Shukaku was gone, he was still the same as before. There were a few skeptics that had the guts to challenge him, but within the sixth broken limp and many agonizing screams there were no more doubts. Kankurou had suggested that he sleep, but Gaara explicated told both Temari and Kankurou that there was no reason for him to change his current lifestyle.

They both seemed hesitated and Temari had voiced out her thoughts (rather loudly), but in the end Gaara remained firm with his decision. And so the young Kazekage continued to look over recent documents ignoring the fact that he hasn't slept for the last five days.

Another ten minutes passed until the sound of footsteps and the thrown open door broke the stillness in the air. Temari walked in the Kazekage's home office, looking down a pair of documents in her hand from a short mission she had just accomplished.

"Here's the report—" she paused from handing in the report.

"Everything went well?"

"You still haven't gotten any sleep?" Temari answered putting the documents on the edge of the desk and her hands on her hips. Her teal eyes narrowed at him before her concentrated face transformed into a deep scowl. "You know you're gonna have to sleep eventually. No one goes their entire life without sleep…" she said but paused slightly. Technically you could, there just would be several psychological problems involved, some of which include hallucinations and dissociation.

"Temari, I'm fine," Gaara said, though he was holding his pen a bit too tightly. "I haven't slept in fifteen years what make you think I need to sleep now?"

"Because you look like shit," the blonde kunoichi responded sharply.

"Told you," Kankurou claimed from the side.

"Where's your report?"

"How long have you been awake?"

"Five days," Kankurou answered for him, ignoring the glare his little brother was giving him.

"You know people can't function too well, if they hadn't slept for the lastfive days. If this keeps up you're gonna screw something up! Lack of sleep interferes with your concentration!"

Well that was partially right, since he started to notice a strange sort of fatigue and lack of energy. This was normally never a problem, but apparently with the demon gone, his body was slowly trying to get the usual tone, too bad Gaara didn't want it to.

"Well maybe if you two leave me alone then I could get some work done!" he yelled out.

"And you're more cranky than usual," his brother commented.

"I do not need sleep!"

"Yes you do! You're just being too stubborn!"

He glared at her, but Temari equally matched up against him. Clearly, all those years of fear he had instilled in his siblings were gone. "I'm trying to get some work done. If you guys don't shut up, then I'm kicking you out," he said threatening looking back into the reports.

"Alright we won't bother you anymore," Kankuoru said looking back at his sketches.

Five minutes later, Temari and Kankurou were kicked out of the office. The door slammed shut in their faces.

"You shouldn't have kept nagging at him about sleep," the puppet master responded looking at his diagrams. He was designing an original puppet after his crushing blow against Sasori, but it was a bit harder than he expected; half the time he found himself redesigning Karasu with wings.

"You were supposed to be watching him!"

"I was! I kept telling him to get some sleep, but he still wouldn't listen to me."

Temari folding her arms against her chest and thinking otherwise. "Besides, what do you expect me to do?" Kankurou asked jokingly. "Force him to sleep?" He was too engrossed in his new puppet that he didn't realize that Temari stopped suddenly, until he was a good five feet away from her. He turned his head around, watching his sister's expression transform from annoyance to seriousness. She bit her lip that look that meant she had something in mind.

"What?" he asked by her unexpected behaviour, but then his last words came to mind. "Temari no!"

"He's gonna kill himself if he doesn't get any sleep. We have to do something!"

"You know this is a bad idea, Temari. Just wait until he falls asleep on his own or something. But don't force him that's just stupid!"

"What?"

"Temari," Kankurou sighed, "Gaara's the type of guy that doesn't like changes. He doesn't like to change the calendar every month what makes you think he'll change his entire lifestyle overnight?"

"Trust me I'll make him," she said omniously.

* * *

_Night 1_

"So this is your major plan?" Kankurou asked seeing the stereo. Temari didn't say anything, but inserted a CD and pulled up the volume. She couldn't sing so the best she could do was buy hours and hours of classical music. Soon enough a soft melody rang through the house, sending a warm relaxing feeling of the violin playing softly and a woman whispering something. "Told you it'll work," Temari said smuggly watching as Kankurou yawned in a few minutes.

"Temari, keep it down!" Gaara yelled down the corridor.

* * *

_Night 2_

"Where do you want this Temari-san?" one of the maids asked holding an overly large green vase that held several white petal flowers.

"Put it over there," Temari ordered standing to the side.

"You do realize he's going to get upset that you remodeled his entire room?" Kankurou asked watching people set up many bright plants throughout the room.

"He'll thank me."

By the time Gaara returned from his meeting, he stood speechless over what appeared to be his room. The walls were colored light blue, the room cleaned and smelling strongly of jasmine petals. A new bed sat in the middle draped with fluffy pillows and blue comforters. In fact if it weren't for his bookshelf that stood to the side, then he would have thought he walked into the wrong room. The entire room seemed as though it was some reservation for the spa, insuring the proper setting for a good night rest.

Everything was calm and peaceful, that is until Gaara threw the large plant out the window.

* * *

_Night 3_

"Here Gaara I ordered your favorite!" Temari said sweetly holding out a large plate of salty ground liver. The stuff smelled terrible and she's rather prefer a steamy bowl of soup, but right now she didn't want to argue with Gaara about his bizarre eating habits.

"I think you ordered too much," Gaara said noticing that the food would be enough for three grown men.

"Don't be ridiculous. Open wide!" she said shoving a fork of liver into his mouth. He didn't have time to protest as another fork was shoved into his mouth.

"Temari, I can eat by-"

"You're not eating well enough," she snorted, ignoring his protest. Again he was cut off as she pushed more and more food into his mouth. Never in a million years would she think of doing this, but getting Gaara to sleep out weight the fact that she was spoon-feeding the Kazekage and one time vessel of the Shukaku. Normally people got sleepy after a large meal because of the enzyme the brain releases. After stuffing Gaara up, he'll scum to sleep, she thought just about giving him two-thirds of the meal, but then he pushed away her hand.

"Temari that's enough."

"Just have another bite," she said sweetly.

"No, I've had enough already," he said picking up his cup of coffee and drinking deeply from it.

"Alright, then. I'll save it for later."

"Fine."

_Damn, that coffee has got to go!_ .

* * *

_Night 4_

"What are you--" Fear swept over Kankurou as he realized what Temari was up to.

"That coffee's keeping him awake," she said throwing four bags of coffee beans to the garbage. "He drinks on average six cups of coffee per day. All that caffeine is keeping him awake, not to mention its going to be bad in the long run."

Kankurou grimaced. Gaara was spoiled and pampered all his life and taking away his coffee supply from would be complete suicide.

"You realize he's going to--"

"Don't worry I got it all cover," Temari said picking up a white kettle and placing it on a tray alongside three other cups she had set before.

"You said that last time."

"Well this time I got it. So just don't say a word, got it?"

She opened the door into Gaara's home office, carefully balancing the tray in front of her. As usual the Kazekage was pouring over some documents and didn't bother to look up at his siblings. Pulling out a cup to each of her brothers, Temari began pouring tea. Temari had made the suggestion that they spend the night sipping on some green tea for relaxation, Gaara eventually agreed, though he didn't have a general liking of tea.

She handed a cup to Kankurou, and he looked at her with questioning eyes. 'Drink it! she mouthed to him, hoping Gaara hadn't noticed anything, but the young Kazekage was just as dedicated as ever.

"Here Gaara," Temari said sweetly handing him a cup. So dedicated into his work Gaara took a sip of the cup, and quickly spat the liquid into the document he was working on before throwing it roughly against the wall. The glass shattered into a million of pieces, covering the wall in the warm liquid, and shattering that overly sweet tone that Temari seemed to pick up.

"You didn't have to throw it like that! Look at the mess you made."

"Milk? You know I hate milk!" he spat out angrily, rising from his chair and glowering in front of her. Temari took up the challenge and stood just as tall as him.

"What's wrong with milk? It's better for you than that crap you drink all the time."

"It tastes like shit! That's what!"

"Stop behaving like a CHILD!"

"I will if you stop treating me like one! Lullabies, perfumes, and now milk!"

"That's because they're supposed to make you fall asleep! Not throw them out of the window!" she yelled out.

"I told you I don't need sleep!" He yelled out angrily stomping away and slamming the door behind him.

Kankurou still sat on the armchair, still holding the cup of tea Temari had poured for him. That was certainly... odd. The mature and thoughtful Gaara, act like a three year old? His lack of sleep really was getting to him. "Um… Temari I think we should stop. I mean just let him fall asleep on his own, he'll do it... eventually."

"We'll see about that! By tomorrow night, Gaara is going to be tucked into bed!"

* * *

_Night 5_

"Here," Temari said angrily putting a clear cup of water for Gaara, and causing it to spill slightly on the desk. Gaara looked up from his document, first into the cup and then into his sister, eyes narrowing. "This better not be another trick," he said taking a small sip and realizing it was indeed water. Kankurou sighed, sitting from across Gaara.

"You know most people should be sleeping around this time."

"Then why are you awake?"

She didn't answer, but angrily bit her lip and stomped away. Watching his sister's retreating form, Gaara looked back at his work taking another sip of water. For some strange reason, he was completely out of coffee. Kankurou had reasoned that he'd been drinking a lot more coffee lately, and that no one had bothered to buy any. He stared at his brother for a few minutes, having the distinct feeling that he wasn't telling him something, but he left him alone at. He'd order a fresh supply in the afternoon and now all he had to do was wait for daybreak to have it delivered.

"You know, little brother, when Temari snaps its quite scary," Kankurou said watching as Temari left angrily. He had plenty of experience from not letting Temari have her way and then earning a big solid bruise. Gaara rolled his eyes, not paying any heed. "So, I take it you like your new room?" Kankurou asked a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No."

For the better part of the week he had taken refuge in his office, since he wasn't too fond of the sudden renovation of his room. "It's to reduce stress!" Temari reasoned, but he knew otherwise and had kept as far away from that room as possible; not to mention he hated that heavy perfume that seemed to linger in the air.

He took another sip from the cup, and all of Kankurou's thoughts broke away as he realized that Temari would never give up that easily. A sort of panic came over him. Temari was determined once she got her mind set on something, and she was all into making this. "Excuse me," Kankurou said leaving Gaara alone in his office. He was such in a hurrythat he didn't even bother to fully close the door behind him.

He paced a few feet finding Temari sitting comfortably in the den. She looked up when he stood in front of her.

"What have you done?"

"What do you mean? I haven't done anything," she said with fake innocence. He didn't waver from his spot. "Alright, alright!"

Digging into her pocket, Temari held a small orange bottle, smiling smugly. It took two and two together to put the puzzle together. If Temari said she was going to do something, then she going to do it. But this determinism was obviously affecting her rationality. His mouth dropped as he realized what his sister hd just done. "Temari are you insane! You just DRUGGED our little brother!"

"It's for his own good!" she yelled out defensively.

"Why can't you just let him fall asleep on his own?"

"And have him stay away for another fifteen years? Kankurou, he needs sleep! This is bad for his concentration and he might do something that could endanger the village without meaning to!"

He wanted to say something back, but couldn't find any other words. "But still!"

"Look as soon as he gets one night's sleep, I won't bother him anymore."

"Promise?"

"Yes," she said rolling her eyes, a habit, Kankurou realized that both Temari and Gaara seemed to share.

They crept back into Gaara's office and peering at him by the small creak on the door. Neither of them moved, but just watched as Gaara continued to work not really sure what to expect. Would the younger boy just fall asleep in his chair? Or would he seek the comforts of a bed and then start snoozing? But their wonderment came to an end, as hours after hours melted away, and the young Kazekage stood up from his chair and walked outside the balcony to view the starlit village.

* * *

_Night 6_

"He's drank so much coffee, I think he's immune to sleeping pills!" Kankurou whispered watching the unwavering form of Gaara on the balcony. It was three in the morning, and still the boy had yet to sleep. 

Temari stared mouth wide at the hopeless cause. Yesterday he showed no signs of sleep, so it was only a matter of getting stronger sedatives that numb his nerve system and send him snoring. But as he gulped his second cup of decaffeinated tea, and there were still no effects, maybe she needed to add a few extra pills. By extra pills she meant four doses every two hours. But as she watched him drink cup after cup of tea, there was still nothing! Not so much as a yawn or blinking.

Nothing was affecting him, and if it weren't for Kankurou, she'd have emptied the entire bottle of pills in his tea. "I can't believe this!" Stomping angrily she opened the terrace to see the stoic figure of Gaara over looking his village. "Gaara," she said raising her voice, "Enough is enough, get some sleep, already!"

Gaara turned his head to look at her, face serious despite his tired eyes. "Temari, I stand firm by my decision. I am not wasting practical hours for something as useless as sleeping."

There was an angry dead lock stare between the two, neither of them wavering. And then Temari did the unimaginable, she grabbed Gaara by the crook of his arm and dragged him back into the house. "You're going to sleep whether you like it or not!" For a split second Gaara fumbled, bewilder about being forcible shoved into bed, but the look of surprise only lasted for so long.

"I am not sleeping Temari!" He said pushing his arm away from her and standing firm.

Kankurou appeared to his side, already sensing the tension between the two not to mention that the sand was beginning to hiss and Temari kept touching her fan. As the middle sibling it was his role to intervene between any conflicts between the older and youngest sibling. Maybe this was all genjutsu. That's right Temari and Gaara are _not_ acting like bratty teenagers that can't get their way, and he was not forced to act like a mediator.

"I don't care! You're going to bed NOW!"

"You can't tell me what to do!"

Right, their not acting like bratty teenagers.

"Yes I can. I'm your older sister!"

"I'm the Kazekage," he stated haughtily. They both glared at each other, folding their arms onto their chest. So maybe they were acting a little bit like bratty teenagers, and right now there was a tie between the two. Who exactly would win this form of dominance? _Maybe this is genjutsu, _Kankurou thought still watching the two glaring at one another.

How long had he gotten that same response from Temari and was forced to do as she said. Being the oldest that was Temari's trump card she always used when she wanted something from him. But hearing it being directed to Gaara, it sounded strange, and the fact that Gaara responded to her own childish tactics. That was even more bizarre. Genjutsu or not, though, he still needed to act as a mediator, get Gaara to go to sleep and stop Temari from doing something drastic. It was time to go into another approach.

"He's got a point, Temari." Kankurou observed standing right behind her just in case she tried anything risky.

"You're supposed to be on my side!" she said angrily. He shrugged. Temari always realized when she was defeated; she just never took it well. "Stupid brothers! I should have had a sister!" she muttered stomping away, and slamming the door loudly behind her.

"Are you going to try something too?" Gaara asked referring to his older brother that was still standing there.

"Nah, I'm not the type to force people... Never thought you'd behave like that, though," he said putting his hands in his pockets." This sleep is making you act weird, huh? You're acting like a bratty kid." Gaara ignored him and continued to stare off at the village. Walking beside him, Kankurou let a few minutes passed between them in silence before he finally spoke. "You know, little brother, Temari doesn't mean bad by doing all these things. She's just worry about you."

He didn't say anything, so Kankurou continued.

"Now that 'it' is gone you have to function like other people. You really do look terrible –its amazing you can properly function without sleeping for almost two weeks now—this is just her own way of trying to take care of you. Temari has a hard time telling people how much she cares about them, so she shows it instead.

"I remember one time when I was training, I almost destroyed my entire hand. Temari locked me into my room and almost destroyed Karasu just to make sure I would give myself plenty of time for recovery."

That sounded so strange, Gaara stared back at him. Seeing the confused look at his face, he laughed out loud.

"My point is that that is a Temari-ish way to help you. So make sure you don't kill each other tomorrow, alright?"

* * *

_Night 7 _

Unlike other nights, tonight was a bit colder than usual. The village was sleeping soundly, except for its Kazekage that was assigning missions for the next four months to come. Gaara wanted everything to be up to date, especially after the entire Akatsuki incident. It was only a few weeks after the event, but the village was already back to normal.

A faint dizziness came to him and his head started to tilt a bit. But he caught it in a minute, and shook his head several times. His body was screaming for sleep, but he refused it. There was no way he was going to risk the village's development and safety for his failure to do so much more.

For once people were depending on him, and he wouldn't let them down. The door swung open and Temari marched in, not her usual sharp and quick witted self, but someone that was in complete exhaustion.

"That's it. I give up!" she called out throwing her hands in the air.

"You're planning something, aren't you?" he asked his voice suspicious.

"No you win! I give up. I tried soft music; I tried aromatherapy; I tried giving you warm milk with honey; I got rid of the coffee. Hell, I almost overdose you with sleeping pills!" She ranted throwing herself on the armchair in front of him.

"I haven't slept for a week! One week! I'm just tired, right now," she said sighing out loud. "Do what ever you want. Stay up for another three weeks! I just give up," she said walking away and closing the door softly behind her.

Gaara blinked a few times before it dawned to him he finally got his way. He could do whatever he wanted and his siblings wouldn't be pestering him about the uselessness of sleep. But there was a certain way in which Temari had said that. Not with a loud voice, but with a defeated, disappointed tone. Something he'd never heard from her, even when she did lost a fight it never sounded like this.

_Temari has a hard time telling people how much she cares about them, so she shows it instead. _He sighed, putting his pen down and pushing the documents away. Moving from his chair he relieved the tension from his legs before stretching. The young Kazekage turned off the light to his office, deciding that maybe he was more then ahead in his work.

It was three in the morning when Kankurou returned from a mission. It was assigned to him in the morning, but it took a lot longer than expected. Throwing his sandals aside he carefully walked into the house fearing that Temari and Gaara had killed each other off. So far his theory seemed correct, since the entire house was quiet and pitch black. He approached Gaara's office and oddly found it empty.

"Gaara?" he asked out loud walking outside to the balcony and spotting no one. He walked down the dark halls half expecting his little brother to be there, but still he spotted no one. A dreading feeling came over him as he thought of Gaara's captured once again. In a hurry he dashed off to his sister's room.

"Temari?" he asked as he opened the doorway to her room. An open curtain showered the room with moonlight.

He couldn't help but grin as he saw the sight. Temari and Gaara were cuddled up against each other, fast asleep. A thick blanket covered them from the harsh temperature of the desert, but they were still close to one another. Gaara's red head was on Temari's shoulder, while Temari had her arms on his opposite side pulling her baby brother closer. Both their eyes were closed tightly, while their slow steady breathing gave the calmest atmosphere all week.

"Good night guys," he said softly closing the door.

* * *

Aww... seeing Temari and Gaaraa cuddling is just so cute! I just love it! Well back to writing that paper.

_--Mel_


End file.
